I
It was a cold evening. John lay on his bed, in deep contemplation. A stern expression marked his face.
These were possibly his last days at the orphanage. He had secured the job of a clerk in one of the most well-reputed banks in the heart of the city. Life was going to take a new turn, hence onward.
But there was no trace of happiness evident on his face.
The eerie silence was suddenly broken by a rude knock at the door.
‘Father David wants to meet you’, said the voice from outside.
It belonged to Jacob, the church help, whose job was to assist the Father, besides cleaning & maintaining the church premises.
‘I’ll come in a short while’, answered John, somewhat reluctantly.
Father David had raised John since the age of three. The church had sponsored his studies completely since then.
Even though he grew up in the orphanage under the Father’s loving care & attention, the pain of being an orphan had always haunted him ever since the days he could remember.
It was a cold evening. John lay on his bed, in deep contemplation. A stern expression marked his face.
These were possibly his last days at the orphanage. He had secured the job of a clerk in one of the most well-reputed banks in the heart of the city. Life was going to take a new turn, hence onward.
But there was no trace of happiness evident on his face.
The eerie silence was suddenly broken by a rude knock at the door.
‘Father David wants to meet you’, said the voice from outside.
It belonged to Jacob, the church help, whose job was to assist the Father, besides cleaning & maintaining the church premises.
‘I’ll come in a short while’, answered John, somewhat reluctantly.
Father David had raised John since the age of three. The church had sponsored his studies completely since then.
Even though he grew up in the orphanage under the Father’s loving care & attention, the pain of being an orphan had always haunted him ever since the days he could remember.
II
When Father David turned around after finishing his prayers, John was right there behind him.
‘Why are you late, my boy? Thinking of the past, as usual?’
‘What else do I have in this world to think about, Father?’
‘You’re living backwards, Johny. Come to terms with it. A new life is awaiting you.’
No words came forth for a few minutes.
Then John remarked thoughtfully, ‘whatever Im today I owe to you, the church & God’.
‘But whatever I loved & cherished the most, is no more today.’
‘So what significance does the new life, you are talking about, hold for me, Father? Nothing.’
‘At times I feel, what’s the purpose of my existence. For whom?’
‘You’ll discover that in the journey called life, my son.’
‘Remember, there is no wound which time cannot heal’.
‘So, don’t brood over the past. Sleep peacefully.’
John nodded weakly and walked back to his room.
When Father David turned around after finishing his prayers, John was right there behind him.
‘Why are you late, my boy? Thinking of the past, as usual?’
‘What else do I have in this world to think about, Father?’
‘You’re living backwards, Johny. Come to terms with it. A new life is awaiting you.’
No words came forth for a few minutes.
Then John remarked thoughtfully, ‘whatever Im today I owe to you, the church & God’.
‘But whatever I loved & cherished the most, is no more today.’
‘So what significance does the new life, you are talking about, hold for me, Father? Nothing.’
‘At times I feel, what’s the purpose of my existence. For whom?’
‘You’ll discover that in the journey called life, my son.’
‘Remember, there is no wound which time cannot heal’.
‘So, don’t brood over the past. Sleep peacefully.’
John nodded weakly and walked back to his room.
III
Can time make him forget Mani? Never ever.
Mani was John’s pet kitten which had passed away exactly a year back.
Since then memories of Mani were always flooding his mind.
The day it entered his life, was the most unforgettable day for him.
It was about seven o’ clock in the evening. He had just returned from his tuition classes when he saw other inmates standing outside his room. They were discussing something excitedly and peeping into his room on and off.
‘You have some visitors, John’, remarked one of the inmates.
When he looked through the window, his eyes met a pair of big, green, frightened eyes. It was the cat whom he fed regularly at the orphanage.
The cat seemed to be licking something profusely. A small, brown, glossy thing caught his attention. A kitten!
A sort of excitement caught up with him. He opened the door quietly but didn’t go in immediately.
He wanted his “visitors” to take their own time & settle down comfortably.
After dining, late at night he tiptoed into his room quietly and with the least & most subtle of movements, settled onto his bed.
The mother & the kid were fast asleep by then.
Can time make him forget Mani? Never ever.
Mani was John’s pet kitten which had passed away exactly a year back.
Since then memories of Mani were always flooding his mind.
The day it entered his life, was the most unforgettable day for him.
It was about seven o’ clock in the evening. He had just returned from his tuition classes when he saw other inmates standing outside his room. They were discussing something excitedly and peeping into his room on and off.
‘You have some visitors, John’, remarked one of the inmates.
When he looked through the window, his eyes met a pair of big, green, frightened eyes. It was the cat whom he fed regularly at the orphanage.
The cat seemed to be licking something profusely. A small, brown, glossy thing caught his attention. A kitten!
A sort of excitement caught up with him. He opened the door quietly but didn’t go in immediately.
He wanted his “visitors” to take their own time & settle down comfortably.
After dining, late at night he tiptoed into his room quietly and with the least & most subtle of movements, settled onto his bed.
The mother & the kid were fast asleep by then.
IV
Within a week, the kitten had opened its eyes. They shone like the black beads. In terms of cuteness, they resembled little bells that John named it as “Mani”.
A ray of hope & unparalleled joy had descended onto his lonely life with the little one’s arrival. Slowly, his whole world became centered on the kitten.
Moreover, its mother had fallen sick and liked to be on its own, most of the time. As a result, the kitten also started looking up to John for everything.
In fact, their bonding grew so intense that it effected a remarkable transformation in him.
The dull, silent boy he was, had now become just the reverse. Cheerful, talking to everyone, enquiring about others & wishing them often. It was really amazing.
‘It’s a privilege to watch you grow’, John often thought.
And Mani, indeed, grew up to be a wonderful, cute & mischievous darling.
It was a pleasure watching them play together forgetting all the distinctions between a man and an animal. Mani’s favorite game was to make John run, catch up with him and bite the edge of his trousers. As it was exceptionally agile, he had to be on his toes always. When John got fed up, he would stop on his tracks & chase Mani all the way down.
These were the happiest hours he had ever spent in his life. He felt like he was getting back something which he had lost forever.
However, as someone said, ‘All good things must come to an end’, this happiness was not to last long.
Within a week, the kitten had opened its eyes. They shone like the black beads. In terms of cuteness, they resembled little bells that John named it as “Mani”.
A ray of hope & unparalleled joy had descended onto his lonely life with the little one’s arrival. Slowly, his whole world became centered on the kitten.
Moreover, its mother had fallen sick and liked to be on its own, most of the time. As a result, the kitten also started looking up to John for everything.
In fact, their bonding grew so intense that it effected a remarkable transformation in him.
The dull, silent boy he was, had now become just the reverse. Cheerful, talking to everyone, enquiring about others & wishing them often. It was really amazing.
‘It’s a privilege to watch you grow’, John often thought.
And Mani, indeed, grew up to be a wonderful, cute & mischievous darling.
It was a pleasure watching them play together forgetting all the distinctions between a man and an animal. Mani’s favorite game was to make John run, catch up with him and bite the edge of his trousers. As it was exceptionally agile, he had to be on his toes always. When John got fed up, he would stop on his tracks & chase Mani all the way down.
These were the happiest hours he had ever spent in his life. He felt like he was getting back something which he had lost forever.
However, as someone said, ‘All good things must come to an end’, this happiness was not to last long.
V
As Mani grew older, it started roaming more and sleeping less at night. So, John had to let it out at night and it would be back by 6 in the morning in front of the room. It served as the wake-up call for him.
VI
On that fateful night, Mani went out earlier than usual. Moreover, there was a power failure & it was pitch dark everywhere. When the power came, it was about 10’o clock.
John had planned to study late unto night as he had to appear for an entrance test in a few days. He had hardly studied for an hour, when his attention was diverted towards the barking of some stray dogs.
This was immediately followed by a shriek. A helpless cry.
The sound was so familiar. His heart missed a beat.
Immediately he started searching for the torch. Curses, it was not to be seen anywhere. After a desperate search which lasted about 5 minutes, he found the torch behind the stack of newspapers.
Cursing himself for the delay, he rushed out. When he reached the spot from where the sounds had emanated, no was in sight. There was absolute silence. He went further beyond & looked around the orphanage and church premises but the result was the same.
Back in his room, he wanted this entire thing to be his mere imagination. But something was not right. Things had gone out of his hand, he seemed to feel.
Praying fervently that the worst shouldn’t have happened, he went to sleep.
However, he couldn’t sleep peacefully. He was waiting for the day to break.
On that fateful night, Mani went out earlier than usual. Moreover, there was a power failure & it was pitch dark everywhere. When the power came, it was about 10’o clock.
John had planned to study late unto night as he had to appear for an entrance test in a few days. He had hardly studied for an hour, when his attention was diverted towards the barking of some stray dogs.
This was immediately followed by a shriek. A helpless cry.
The sound was so familiar. His heart missed a beat.
Immediately he started searching for the torch. Curses, it was not to be seen anywhere. After a desperate search which lasted about 5 minutes, he found the torch behind the stack of newspapers.
Cursing himself for the delay, he rushed out. When he reached the spot from where the sounds had emanated, no was in sight. There was absolute silence. He went further beyond & looked around the orphanage and church premises but the result was the same.
Back in his room, he wanted this entire thing to be his mere imagination. But something was not right. Things had gone out of his hand, he seemed to feel.
Praying fervently that the worst shouldn’t have happened, he went to sleep.
However, he couldn’t sleep peacefully. He was waiting for the day to break.
VII
Even before it was 6, he had opened the door in desperate anticipation. No one turned up, however. His anxiety rose as each minute passed by.
Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He set out in search of Mani again. Roamed here and there for a long time but had to return back empty-handed.
Still, he couldn’t believe that it was Mani’s cry he had heard the previous night.
As he sat in his room, in utter despair clinging with fear onto the last edge of hope, he prayed within himself, ‘For God’s sake, let it not be my poor Mani’.
Night fell. Yet, nothing happened.
Suddenly John stood up. Were his ears deceiving him?
Dashing outside, he stopped abruptly. At a corner was the kitten’s mother, with an affectionate look in its eyes.
Looking at her, he was overcome by a feeling of extreme guilt. Kneeling beside her, he fondled & stroked her head like consoling an aggrieved relative.
While feeding the cat, his hands started trembling. Never before had it been like that.
Even before it was 6, he had opened the door in desperate anticipation. No one turned up, however. His anxiety rose as each minute passed by.
Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He set out in search of Mani again. Roamed here and there for a long time but had to return back empty-handed.
Still, he couldn’t believe that it was Mani’s cry he had heard the previous night.
As he sat in his room, in utter despair clinging with fear onto the last edge of hope, he prayed within himself, ‘For God’s sake, let it not be my poor Mani’.
Night fell. Yet, nothing happened.
Suddenly John stood up. Were his ears deceiving him?
Dashing outside, he stopped abruptly. At a corner was the kitten’s mother, with an affectionate look in its eyes.
Looking at her, he was overcome by a feeling of extreme guilt. Kneeling beside her, he fondled & stroked her head like consoling an aggrieved relative.
While feeding the cat, his hands started trembling. Never before had it been like that.
VIII
There was a continuous knocking at John’s door. The sun had risen.
‘John, please wake up. Something terrible has happened. Your cat, Im sorry to say…’
Even before the voice outside could complete the sentence, John sprang up from his bed and rushed outside.
A gory sight awaited him.
Some 40 yards away from the orphanage, amidst the bushes, the cat was lying with its mouth wide open. Stray dogs had torn open its flesh, without any mercy, a large hole on the abdomen being proof of that.
‘That’s it. The last ray of hope had been sealed.’
‘There was no need to trouble God anymore. Everything was over.’
Like an express train, these flashed across his mind.
Not able to withstand the sight any longer, he slowly walked back to the orphanage.
His whole world had fallen apart. He felt as if the ground had slipped from under his feet.
‘No one to care about, no one to show love & affection, no one to play & make me run, above all no one in my life, hence onward.’
‘It was just 3 months old, the kitten. Didn’t even have a proper glimpse when it went out of the room. Never even imagined it was going to a point of no return.’
‘Never in my wildest dreams have I meant harm to anyone. Then, of all the goddamn shit, why should this happen to me?’
‘Again back to square one. What a cursed life mine is, thought John.’
He could hold it back no more. Like a bolt out of the blue, it had hit him. Overcome by uncontrollable grief & sorrow, tears welled up in his eyes.
He cried his heart out that day.
There was a continuous knocking at John’s door. The sun had risen.
‘John, please wake up. Something terrible has happened. Your cat, Im sorry to say…’
Even before the voice outside could complete the sentence, John sprang up from his bed and rushed outside.
A gory sight awaited him.
Some 40 yards away from the orphanage, amidst the bushes, the cat was lying with its mouth wide open. Stray dogs had torn open its flesh, without any mercy, a large hole on the abdomen being proof of that.
‘That’s it. The last ray of hope had been sealed.’
‘There was no need to trouble God anymore. Everything was over.’
Like an express train, these flashed across his mind.
Not able to withstand the sight any longer, he slowly walked back to the orphanage.
His whole world had fallen apart. He felt as if the ground had slipped from under his feet.
‘No one to care about, no one to show love & affection, no one to play & make me run, above all no one in my life, hence onward.’
‘It was just 3 months old, the kitten. Didn’t even have a proper glimpse when it went out of the room. Never even imagined it was going to a point of no return.’
‘Never in my wildest dreams have I meant harm to anyone. Then, of all the goddamn shit, why should this happen to me?’
‘Again back to square one. What a cursed life mine is, thought John.’
He could hold it back no more. Like a bolt out of the blue, it had hit him. Overcome by uncontrollable grief & sorrow, tears welled up in his eyes.
He cried his heart out that day.
IX
The initial few months were traumatic for him. Except for attending classes and prayers in the
church, he rarely ventured out of his room.
Everyone including father David consoled him. Yet, it served no purpose.
He got stuck up with himself & rarely spoke to others.
He got stuck up with himself & rarely spoke to others.
X
However, as time passed by, he did change a little.
He never forgot to thank God for sending those wonderful angels who transformed his otherwise sombre, lonely life into a memorable one forever.
On the other end, doubts also plagued him incessantly. ‘Did God grow so envious of our bonding that he snatched them away from me?’
They were my only people in this world, he often exclaimed.
However, as time passed by, he did change a little.
He never forgot to thank God for sending those wonderful angels who transformed his otherwise sombre, lonely life into a memorable one forever.
On the other end, doubts also plagued him incessantly. ‘Did God grow so envious of our bonding that he snatched them away from me?’
They were my only people in this world, he often exclaimed.
XI
Slowly, he started reverting back to his normal self.
Setting aside his pain and sorrow, he started to think more clearly.
‘Though they are no more in this world today, in the corridors of my heart they are alive as before. Walking, running around, playing, having fun, sleeping, they can never be wiped out or uprooted from there.’
‘That’s enough for me to lead the rest of my life.’
‘How true are Father David’s words.’
Slowly, he started reverting back to his normal self.
Setting aside his pain and sorrow, he started to think more clearly.
‘Though they are no more in this world today, in the corridors of my heart they are alive as before. Walking, running around, playing, having fun, sleeping, they can never be wiped out or uprooted from there.’
‘That’s enough for me to lead the rest of my life.’
‘How true are Father David’s words.’
XII
When he gave a casual thought to the new life that Father David had mentioned, a wry quirk escaped his face.
‘Even if the new life out there has the best in store for me, it isn’t going to hold any relevance’.
‘It can never replace those everlasting, precious moments with Mani’.
Thinking thus, he retired to his bed. But he wasn’t alone anymore.
“THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN LIFE WHICH’LL NEVER END”.
When he gave a casual thought to the new life that Father David had mentioned, a wry quirk escaped his face.
‘Even if the new life out there has the best in store for me, it isn’t going to hold any relevance’.
‘It can never replace those everlasting, precious moments with Mani’.
Thinking thus, he retired to his bed. But he wasn’t alone anymore.
“THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN LIFE WHICH’LL NEVER END”.
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